Curtain-stretcher.



J. O. HOLMQUIST. CURTAIN STRBTCHER. APPLICATION FILED 11011221, 1911.

Patented Apr. 9

UOLIJMIIA PLANMRAPH C0 WASHINGTON, D. C.

Patented Apr. 9, 19-12.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I rec/621% r J. O. HO LMQUIST. CURTAIN STRETGHER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 27, 1911.

W/M/ fl z JOHN OTTO HOLMQUIST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GURTAIN-STRETGHER.

Application filed November 27, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

Serial No. 662,610.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN O'rro HOLM- QUIST, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inOurtain-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention constitutes an improvement on thecurtain-stretcher disclosed in my United States Patent No. 992,717,granted May 16, 1911.

The primary object of the invention is to simplify and cheapen theconstruction of aself-squaring curtain-stretcher and to facilitate theadjustment of the central brace or guide-rod which unites the jointportions of the sectionally-constructed end-bars (so called) employed.

A further object is to provide an improved corner member for adjustablyuniting the end-bars and side-bars, whereby slotting of the bars isobviated, without sacrificing either freedom of adjustability orsecurity of connection.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a broken plan viewof a curtain-stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig.2, a broken section taken as illustrated at line 2 of Fig. 1 and showingthe corner clamps employed for uniting the end-bars and sidebars; Fig.3, a broken section taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1 and showingthe connection between the sectional end-bar and the brace or guide-rodbetween said joints; Fig. 4, a broken section taken as indicated at line4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, a broken plan section taken as indicated atline 5 of Fig. 3.

In the form illustrated, the structure comprises a pair of sectionallyconstructed endbars A, A a pair of side-bars B, B corner-connectingmembers C, C and C, C serving, respectively, to connect the sectionalend-bar A and the sectional end-bar A to the side-bars; and a bracebar,or guide-bar D, uniting the sectional end-bars at the joints thereof.

It may be explained here that the sectional bars A and A while hereintermed endbars, are usually of greater length than the bars B B whichare herein termed sidebars. This nomenclature is used for the reasonthat it is common practice to set the frame up easelwise with the bar Aat the top. However, the curtains are usually stretched with their endsattached to the bars B and B and their lateral edges attached to thebars A, A and the frame is accommodated to the size of the curtain byadjusting the bars B B toward each other to suit the length of thecurtain, and by adjusting the bar A toward the bar A to suit the widthof the curtain. I have shown the inner edge portions of the barsprovided with grooves 1 in which are slidably mounted the hooks or pins2, for attachment of the curtain.

The connections between the sectional endbar A and the side-bars andbetween said sectional bar and the brace-bar D are the same as disclosedin my above-mentioned patent. Each corner-connection C comprises a loop3 which receives the corresponding end portion of the sectional bar Aand is equipped with a stem or shank 4 which passes through aperforation in the end portion of the side-bar and is fitted with acam-lever 5, the upper surface of the sidebar being provided with agroove 6 to accommodate the base portion of the loop. The bar A iscomposed of sections 7 and 8 which are disposed in the same plane andhave abutting meeting ends rounded at the inner corners, as indicated at9, to enable the joint to break outwardly. The adjacent end of thebrace-bar D passes beneath the abutting end portions of the bar-sections7 and 8 through a loop or guide member 10, as will be understood fromFigs. 1 and 4. The guide member 10 is really a U-shaped member without-turned extremities or flanges 11, through which pass pivots 12 whichextend through the bar-sections 7 and 8 and through a top plate or link13 disposed above the joint between the barsections 7 and 8. Inwardlyconverging links 14 have their outer ends united by pivots 15 to thebar-sections 7 and 8 a short distance from their abutting ends; and theinner ends of the links 14 are joined to a common pivot 16 which extendsthrough a perforation in the bar D.

The bar A comprises sections 7 and 8 which correspond in all respectswith the bar-sections 7 and 8 and are rounded at the inner corners oftheir abutting ends, as indicated at 9 to permit the joint to breakoutwardly.

Each corner member C comprises a loop 17 adapted to slide on thecorresponding side-bar and having an upwardly extending threaded stem 18equipped with a nut 19; and an angular clamping member having a hollowarm 20 through which the shank 18 extends, and having an arm 21 atrightangles and adapted to embrace the upper or front surface of the barA The inner side of the hollow arm or post 20 has a flat surface 22which embraces the outer edge of the bar A The inner end of the arm 21has a clown-turned extremity or lug 23 which embraces the inner edge ofthe bar A The lower end of the hollow member 20 is slotted, as indicatedat 2 1 (Fig. 2) to receive the upper or front member of the loop 17, sothat the clamping member will be maintained at right-angles to the planeof the loop 17. The base portion of the arm or post 20 is providedoutside of the loop 17 with a heel 25 which is adapted to rest on theupper or front surface of the side-bar, while a space 26 is left betweenthe bar 20 and 'the adjacent surface of the sidebar at the inner side ofthe loop 17. Thus, the heel 25 will serve as a fulcrum, so that the arm21 will be caused to clamp the bar A securely when the nut 19 is turneddown.

The connections between the bar-sections 7 and 8 and the brace-bar Dcomprise a T-form guide-member 27 whose head-portion 28 is disposedbeneath said bar-sections and is connected, by pivots 29, with thebarsections 7 and 8 and whose inwardly extending shank-portion 30 isprovided with downwardly or rearwardly turned lateral flanges 31 adaptedto embrace the edges of the brace-bar; a link or top-plate 32 disposedabove the joint between the bar-sections and connected with the ends ofthe pivots 29; and inwardly converging links 33 whose outer ends areconnected, by pivots 34, with said bar-sections and whose inner endportions are provided with slots 35 which receive a clamping-bolt 36which extends through a perforation in the inner end of the stem 30 andthrough a longitudinal slot 37 with which the brace-bar D is provided.

The preferred manner of constructing the guide-member 27 is to form theshank 30 and the head 28 independently out of sheetmetal, and providethe outer end of the shank with a slightly offset extension or ear 38which is secured, by a rivet 39, to the plate 28 which the extensionsurmounts. The connection is stiffened by having the outer ends of theflanges 31 abut against the inner edge of the plate 28, as will bereadily understood from Fig. 3; and if desired, the joint may besoldered, also. The bolt 36 is preferably a long-bolt equipped with athumb-nut 40 adapted to bear against the lower or back surface of thebar D.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the bars B, Bmay be adthe corner members C will slide on the bars B B while the bolt36 will slide in the slot 37.

It will be observed that the improved construction permits facileadjustment of the bar A permits, also, easy folding of the structure,and provides a cheapened construction for the connection between thebrace-bar D and the sectional bar A The foregoing detailed descriptionhas been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unduelimitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claimsshould be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Acurtain-stretcher comprising a pair of oppositely disposed sectionalbars, each composed of two alined sections, guidemembers crossing theoint where the sections of each bar meet and pivotally joined to saidsections, a brace-bar having its opposite ends received slidably by saidguidemembers, one of said guide-members having an inwardly extendingstem, a pair of links pivotally joined at their outer ends to thesections of one bar, said links having slots therein and said brace-barhaving a slot therein, a clamping-bolt extending through said slots, anda pair of links having pivotal connection with said brace-bar near itsother end and having their outer ends pivotally connected with thesections of the other sectional bar.

2. A curtain-stretcher comprising a pair of oppositely disposedsectional bars, each composed of two alined sections, a bracebar, aguide-member pivotally connected with the two sections of one bar andslidably receiving one end of the bracebar, links uniting said sectionsto the brace-bar, a guide-member pivotally connected at its outer endwith the sections of the other bar and having an inwardly extendingstem, inwardly converging slotted links having their outer endsconnected with said last named sections, and a clamping-bolt extendingthrough the slots in said links, through a perforation in the inner endof said stem, and through a longitudinal slot in said brace-bar.

3. A curtain-stretcher comprising a pair of sectional endbars, a pair ofside-bars beneath the plane of said end-bars and adjust ably connectedwith said end-bars, a bracebar beneath the plane of said end-bars andextending across the joints between the sections of said end-bars, aguide-member pivot-ally connected with the sections of one end-bar andslidably receiving one end of the brace-bar, links connecting saidsections to the brace-bar, a T-form guide-member having its head portiondisposed beneath the abutting ends of the sections of the other end-barand pivotally connected with said sections, links pivotally connectedwith said last-named sections and having their inner end portionsprovided with slots, the adj acent end portion of said brace-bar havinga slot therein, and a clamping-bolt extending through the slots of saidlinks, through a perforation in the shank of said lastnamed guide-memberand through the slot in said brace-bar, said clamping-bolt having itslower end equipped with a winged nut.

4. In a curtain-stretcher, a guide-member adapted for connection with abrace-bar and with the sections of an end-bar, said guidemembercomprising a head-plate and a shank-plate provided with down-turnedflanges and equipped at its outer end with an extension overlapping thehead-plate, said flanges abutting against the inner edge of thehead-plate, and means uniting said head-plate and extension, saidhead-plate and shank having perforations therethrough. c

5. A curtain-stretcher comprising endbars and side-bars, in combinationwith a corner-connection, comprising a loop adapted to slide on one barand having a threaded shank extending from one of its sides and equippedWith a nut, and an angular clamping member having a hollow arm throughwhich said shank extends, and an 1 arm at right-angles thereto having aninturned extremity.

6. A curtain-stretcher comprising a sidebar and an end-bar having theirends crossing each other, in combination with a corner-connectioncomprising a loop slidable on the side-bar and equipped with adownwardly extending shank, and a clamping member having an armsubstantially at right-angles to the side-bar and adapted to engage oneedge of the end-bar and having anarm substantially at right-angles tosaid first-named arm adapted to engage the front surface of the end-bar,said first-named arm having a perforation therethrough receiving saidshank, and means for drawing said bars together through the medium ofsaid shank.

7 A corner-connection for a curtainstretcher comprising a loop having ashank extending from one side member thereof, a clamping member having ahollow arm with its lower end portion cut away to accommodate theadjacent side member of said loop and having another arm at right-anglesto said first-named arm equipped with an inturned end, and a nut on saidshank.

8. A corner-connection for a curtain stretcher, .comprising a loophaving a threaded shank extending from one of its side-members andequipped with a nut, and a clamp having a hollow arm receiving saidshank and provided at its base on the outer side of the loop with a heeladapted to bear on the front surface of the bar, said clamp having anarm at right-angles to said firstnamed arm and provided with an inturnedextremity.

JOHN OTTO HOLMQUIST.

In presence of R. A. RAYMOND, O. C. AvIsUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

